Breast pad holding garment



Dec. 8, 1953 a. N. DAY 2,661,470

BREAST PAD HOLDING GARMENT Filed April 20, 1951 A ITORNE Y5 Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to brassieres and related garments having provision for the holding of a breast pad whereby persons who have had a breast removed may present the appearance of having a natural breast. The invention is particularly designed for persons who have had one breast removed, permitting them to appear in public in bathing suits, play suits, or the like without embarrassment; but the invention may also be incorporated in undergarments such as brassieres, corsets and the like. The invention likewise is of utility to those persons who have had both breasts removed, or who are embarrassed by reason of having underdeveloped breasts.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a hospital garment for use by convalescents from the operation of removing a breast, the garment permitting the convalescent to receive visitors without embarrassment, yet permitting the rapid removal of the breast pad without requiring the services of an attendant. By means of my invention a patient may, while lying on her back in bed, remove and insert a breast pad at will, and may easily shift the breast pad about in order to relieve pain by reason of pressure upon the area of the operation. A further advantage in such use of my invention is that special bandaging need not be employed and in the event of hemorrhaging through the bandage the garment constituting my invention is not necessarily ruined.

An object of my invention is to provide simplified pocket means for a brassiere or the like comprising a slide fastener which is concealed from view, thereby permitting the unembarrassed use of play suits, swimming suits or the like by persons for whom the garment is designed.

The foregoing and other objects and advan tages of the present invention will be more readily ascertained by inspection of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. while the features of novelty will be more distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a partial front view of a brassiere having one pocket thereof designed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic, horizontal section through the bust of a wearer supporting a garment such as illustrated in Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a partial view of a person wearing a play suit top garment constructed in accordance with my invention, the same illustrating a modification in detail and arrangement;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic partial view of a person wearing a bathing suit constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, there is illustrated a brassiere particularly recommended for hospital use. The brassire comprises a divided front portion comprising two front sections each designed to cover one breast area. The brassire is preferably of the wide band type, but narrower brassieres may incorporate the invention 11' desired. In accordance with my invention the garment comprises a rear panel I0 adapted to lie against the body of the wearer, the same preferably being formed of soft fabric to lessen possible irritation, and of a waterproof type of fabric which may be easily washed in the event of hemorrhage. A front panel I l overlies the lower and side portions of the rear panel III, the panel terminating in a downwardly recessed upper edge of a shape to encircle the lower edge of a normal breast. The upper edge of the panel I I is stitched throughout to the panel i0 along a line of stitches I2, a hemmed portion thereof in the lower half of the breast area projecting freely beyond the stitches and supporting a tape having separable fastener elements I3 mounted thereon. The separable fastener elements I3 extend from one end to the other of the horizontal median line of the breast area represented by the seam I4 in Fig. 1. The seam It connects together a lower outer panel I5 and an upper outer panel I6, the two constituting an outer cover portion. The lower panel I5 is hemmed and projects freely beyond a line of stitches I'I to provide a relatively stiff covering flap l8 generally designed to overlie the line of stitches l2 and to project into engagement with the panel II. The stitches I'I secure a tape having separable fastener elements I! thereon adapted to be engaged with the elements I3, the cover flap I8 projecting beyond the united fasteners and hiding the same from view. The elements I! are engaged with or separated from the elements llI by the usual slide fastener device 20 which is preferably of the smallest size made so as to be readily concealed.

The panel I6 is stitched to the back panel it throughout the remainder of its edges, but freely overlies the panel I0 throughout its area, the panels I5 and It being shaped to receive and cover a breast pad 2|. The length of the seam I4 is such as to permit ready removal of the breast-simulating pad which, therefore, may be readily inserted or removed by the patient while lying on her back in bed. As seen most clearly in Fig. 2, the vertical length of the combined panels l5 and I6 is preferably such as to draw the panel l6 tight when the breast pad is inserted. By reason of the panel l6 being free of the back panel l throughout its area the upper portion thereof will be filled out and caused to simulate the natural flowing lines above the missing breast in an area from which tissue is usually removed in the operation. The wearer therefore fills out the covering garment on the operated side to match the natural appearance of the other side of the body.

In the present illustration the peak of the breast pocket is shown as being attached to a shoulder strap 22 by means of a slide connector 23 engaging the bight of an elastic band 24 having its ends connected to the brassire to fashion an inverted V-connector. Likewise, the lower body-embracing portion of the brassiere is provided with an elastic insert 25. Such a construction is especially adapted for hospital use but may be used in everyday wear. My invention is not limited to incorporation in brassleres of this particular type, the foregoing being illustrative of a preferred embodiment.

In Figs. 4 and there is illustrated a play suit or swimming suit brassiere designed for use as an outer garment, the particular form being merely illustrative of many designs in which the present, invention may be incorporated. In the illustration the garment comprises a back-encircling band attached to the substantially vertical outer side edges of a pair of breast pockets 3|, the upper portions of which are attached to shoulder straps 32. The garment comprises a chest-embracing back panel 33, the lower edge of which is hemmed and attached to a relatively still, upwardly projecting cover flap 34 extending substantially horizontally beneath the normal breast area. The lower edge of flap 34 is preferably connected by a Pair of lines of stitches 35 which tend to maintain the upper edge of the flap 34 tightly against the body of the wearer, an action which is aided by the band 30. A tape is embraced in the stitches 35 and supports a lower row of separable fastener elements 36 hidden behind the flap 34. The breast pocket comprises an outer panel 3! attached to an upper panel 38 along a horizontal median seam 39. The lower edge of the panel 31 is hemmed along a line of stitches 40, which attach a tape supporting separable slide fastener elements 4i adapted to engage the elements 33 when caused to do so by a slide fastener 42. The upper panel 38 is free from the back panel 33 throughout its area so that the same may be forced outwardly by an inserted breast pad 43 in order to simulate the smooth sweep above a natural breast.

The opposite breast pocket 3| may be formed as described above or, in the case of a person having a natural breast remaining after an operation, the flap 34 may be simulated by a narrow band portion 45 extending horizontally beneath the breast.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a bathing suit comprising a torsocoverlng portion 50 and a pair of breast pockets 5|, the upper tips of which are connected to shoulder straps 52. The lower edge of one of the breast pockets is provided with a cover flap 53 similar to the flap I3 of Fig. 1, which is adapted to conceal a row of separable 4 slide fastener elements. In the event that both breasts are simulated the opposite breast pocket is provided with a similar flap, and in the event that only one is simulated the opposite breast pocket is provided with a thick seam portion 34 simulating the cover flap 53.

Having illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A breast-encircling garment comprising an encircling member having a back panel adapted to lie throughout the region of a breast flat against the bust of the wearer, an outer cover portion secured to the front of said back panel along its upper and side edges only, said cover portion being of greater surface area than the portion of the back panel to which it is secured whereby the cover portion may be filled out by a breast pad, the lower edge of said cover portion having a series of slide fastener elements secured thereto from side to side of the breast area, a cooperating series of slide fastener elements secured to said back panel, a fastener slide engaging both series of elements for engaging or separating the same, and a narrow flap secured to said garment in position to overlie said elements when secured together and conceal the same from view. said elements extending beneath the natural breast area from side to side thereof to provide an opening of sufficient width to permit the insertion of a breast pad.

2. A breast-encircling garment comprising an encircling member having a back panel adapted to lie flat against the bust of the wearer throughout a normal breast area, an outer cover portion overlying a normal breast area, said cover portion being secured to said back panel along its upper and side edges only and having its lower edge free from side to side of the normal breast area, said cover portion being of greater surface area than the portion of the back panel to which it is secured whereby the cover portion may be filled out by a breast pad, the lower edge of said cover portion being curved to lie along the lower edge of the normal breast area and having a series of slide fastener elements secured thereto throughout its length and covered thereby, a cooperating series of slide fastener elements secured to said back panel, and a fastener slide engaging both series of elements for engaging or separating the same, said cover portion having a narrow, relatively rigid hemmed edge projecting beyond said elements into engagement with the bust-encircling portion of the garment beneath the normal breast area when the garment is in position on the wearer, and said back panel and said cover portion forming a pocket in which a breast pad may be retained by the engaged fastener elements.

3. A breast-encircling garment comprising an encircling member having a back panel adapted to cover and lie flat against a normal breast area of the wearer, an outer cover portion secured to said back panel along its upper and side edges only, said cover portion being of greater surface area than the portion of the back panel to which it is secured whereby the cover portion may be filled out by a breast pad, the lower edge of said cover portion having a series of slide fastener elements secured thereto in a downward curve from side to side of the breast area, a cooperating series of slide fastener elements secured to said back panel, a fastener slide engaging both series of elements for engaging or separating the same, and a narrow, relatively rigid flap secured to said back panel and projecting upwardly in position to overlie said elements when secured together and conceal the same from view, said elements extending beneath the natural breast area from side to side thereof to provide an opening of sufilcient width to permit the insertion of a breast pad.

4. A breast-encircling garment comprising an encircling member having a back panel adapted to lie flat throughout against the bust of the wearer, an outer cover portion secured to said back panel along its upper and side edges only, said cover portion being of greater surface area than the portion of the back panel to which it is secured whereby the cover portion may be filled out by a breast pad, the lower edge of said cover portion having a series of slide fastener elements secured thereto in a downward curve from side to side of the breast area, a cooperating series of slide fastener elements secured to said back panel, a fastener slide engaging both series of elements for engaging or separating the same, a

narrow flap projecting from said garment in position to overlie said elements when secured together and conceal the same from view, said .elements extending beneath the natural breast area from side to side thereof to provide an opening of suiflcient width to permit the insertion of a breast pad, the upper opposed portions of said back panel and said front portion extending upwardly to a peak above the natural breast area whereby the outer portion will be filled out along smoothly flowing lines simulating the area above a natural breast when a breast pad is retained in' the space between said portions.

EMILY N. DAY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

